We Hear You! Letters from Our November 2012 Issue

This is fanmail, and more. First, I ADORE More! Can't wait for each month's issue to arrive. Love settling down with a large decaf two percent extra-foamy homemade cappuccino and savoring the magazine page by page. Cannot skim it as I usually do favorite mags, only later returning to sink deeply into a few chosen articles; always mean to do that with More, but find too many articles just way too juicy to pass up. Clearly you are doing an absolutely brilliant job reading my mind. And my several pals who are my age (mid-sixties, most of us) feel exactly the same way. So, kudos! And please keep it up!

That said, I feel honor-bound to offer up just one teensy whimper of complaint: what's all this about "here's what 47 looks like"? or "here's what 50 looks like"? Those women look GREAT, of course. And they all seem to be doing wonderful, inspired and inspiring, creative, admirable things. But dear LJS, my pals and I have been there already. What we want to see is, "here's what SEVENTY looks like"! Or how about, "here's what EIGHTY looks like!"? We're looking for inspiration here, and hope, and a good reason not to have our faces lifted. Enclosed in this email, I offer up, just for example, a year-old snapshot of what 65 looked like a summer ago: me on the rocks, snapped while I was visiting my gorgeous 27-year-old daughter in L.A.

Anyhow, the far more serious purpose of this missive is to send you a little true-life mother/son story about taking my four-decades-younger son to France for a week's vacation, a year ago, in fulfillment of a promise I'd made to him some dozen years before. It's called "The Gift." As you will see, there's a potentially horrendous mishap toward the beginning, and then a wonderfully happy middle, which I've cleverly managed to postpone revealing till the end, for reasons you will understand. I sincerely hope you enjoy it. I think it would appeal to all the moms of sons among your readers. Hope you agree. I'm also attaching my bio, in case you're interested in that.

Sincere thanks for your time, and for a truly wonderful magazine.--Kat Lancaster

I laughed my way through Emily Listfield’s article, “No One Told Me That Would Happen.” Unfortunately, I have another ailment to add to her list, “vaginal atrophy.” Google that, to learn how many post-menopausal women suffer from this, but very few of us talk about it. Let’s get the conversation going!

Please do not print my name, for obvious reasons.--Beth

Hi Lesley. My name is Kelley, and I recently became a reader of More magazine. I've loved every issue I've read so far, and I can't wait for the next one. Keep up the great work!--Kelly Graves

Your November issue was hands down my fave yet. I grinned wildly when I read Drop What You Shop - "I own many outfits for places I will never go" very much describes my closet (and obsession with Anthropologie, ahem), and Death Becomes Him was fabulously perfect. I shared it with so many of my friends (who dare to think and laugh at the same thing). Are you reading my mind, More? My only disappointment was that Iris Apfel didn't write Safe or Sorry - at first I thought she had and I was so very keen to read!!--Dawn Murray

I love More Magazine and every month I patiently wait for it to arrive in the mail. I am like a kid with a new toy. I can’t wait. I read it from beginning to end. I read the column written by Lesley Jane Seymour, Editor-in-Chief, on reconnecting with someone that you hadn’t seen for years or had gradually lost touch with over the years and I knew I had to write beause not long after reading it, I ran into someone from my past that I would rather have never seen again as long as I lived unless we reconnected by accident which is exactly what happened. But the one day that I did run into this person, I realized something very important about myself. I was stronger and better than I had ever realized.

Share Your Thoughts!

Comments

I came across MORE on my local library magazine rack a few years ago. This is my access point to any type of tabloid, free. That is my first and probably foremost problem, pricing. Thank goodness for being online.
I liked the idea of a magazine for my age group that wasn't soaked in recipes and sowing ideas. Generally the articles you share are interesting and informative, but the people you write about are those that an everyday woman may consider unattainable in comparison. The Christina Applegate story was a pleasure. It gave a sense that she was an everyday person, sort of. Other then that the thing that stands out to me is your pick of "This is what 40-50-60 Looks like" Those are beautiful women and that is wonderful, kudos to them on their appearances but there are women with less perfect BMI's, complexions, and scars that are MORE beautiful and should be pointed out as well. Thank you for your time.

November Issue
I was offended by the article on Page 26 about the first ladies because it included Ann Romney, before the election.
I had planned on giving a gift of a subscription to a friend but she may be offended as well.
Please do not print my name.

Thanks for the engaging article on Christina Applegate. I am now a bigger than than I was before. I love her show (all that preceeded this one except MWC) and the cast that make her shine. It's great for her to portray a character on TV so close to her real life. Her history was interesting and I had no idea about anythign other than when she had breast cancer. Nice to know more than the bad stuff about celebrities. Thanks again.

I'm one of your subscribers who read More magazine from beginning to end and I've loved reading it for years! Maybe it's because I'm 61 now, but is it my imagination or are the feature photos on the cover personality getting a little too kittenish? I've noticed this for the past year, at least. These are accomplished woman and yes, very beautiful. But why are they photographed in provacative poses for me?

It's good Pamela Satran recognizes pet ownership comes with responsibility. I wouldn't try to talk her into adopting a homeless pet since she's already weighed her interest level and found it wanting. But this "humor" writer rubbed me the wrong way with her selfish focus. I guess I was too tired from my week volunteering at our local animal shelter to find levity in her topic. It's likely that seeing perfectly adoptable but unwanted puppies, kittens, cats and dogs put to sleep day after day has rendered me unable to be lighthearted about the subject. Could you pass this message along to the writer for me? When she's feeling great, enjoying her freedom and wearing her hair-free black chic clothes, could she totter over to her checkbook in her mid-life heels and write a check to her local animal shelter so that the animals that aren't getting adopted can enjoy one more day too? Thanks!

As a socially conscious vegan, I would be over-the-moon if just once you would feature a spread of vegan meals/recipes and vegan makeup/clothing. Is it too much to ask?
I converted to a vegan lifestyle on Jan 1, 2011 thanks to Alicia Silverstone's inspiring book: The Kind Diet as well as her blog: The Kind Life. Prior to that, I was a dairy eating vegetarian. Not long after adopting a vegan lifestyle, 15 lbs melted off of my body without even trying. My skin absolutely glows. I feel wonderful and I have oodles of energy. Personally, I think I look better now at 45 than I did before I became a vegan.
It seems to only make sense that if you care about your health, your longevity, and the impact you are having on the planet, well then adopting a vegan lifestyle is the only way to go.
I won't bother promoting my blog in this comment but perhaps Alicia's blog and book will inspire you.
My two cents.
Susan Asnes
Boston, MA

I love More magazine and feels this fills a true need that's lacking for women 40 and OVER who still want beauty tips, wardrobe advice and how to keep current on all topics. My frustration is the lack of reality for the high end designer clothes shown that most of your readers can't afford. C'mon More! Get real and help the everyday woman look pulled together with affordable clothes from basic department stores in our neighborhoods including the Targets and Marshalls around us!

I just finished reading the article in the November 2012 issue by Pamela Redmond Satran. That one page could have been could have been used to encourage people to (1) Support their local spay/neuter programs. (2) adopt a dog from their local rescue or human society. (3) donate time or money to support animal rescues. (4) Help to stop puppy mills. But instead, ignorance prevailed and selfishness prevailed.
But I am positive that any Rover, Spot, Fido, Rufus or Lola that she didn't adopt, was a very lucky dog.
But please know that those of us who love our pet "children" are so much more blessed in our lives with our pets. I would rather have my Golden Retriever's hair on my clothes than baby puke or a leaky diaper. The unconditional love of a dog is heartwarming and has a positive effect on your health.
But hey, for all the dogs who are in shelters now due to the economy and job loss just lost a chance at being adopted and getting a second chance at life due to your shallowness. I see at the end of the article that you are the author of a new humor book "Rabid: ......". I saw no humor in your half page in this magazine so I can't imagine how you could say anything positive about owning a dog in a whole book.